Quantum Souls
by WildPsyche
Summary: Doctor Carter and Major Kowalsky have come through the Quantum Mirror, but unfortunately, their mirror was destroyed and they cannot return. This story is the ultimate result of Entropic Cascade Failure.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Doctor Samantha Carter and Major Charles Kowalsky have come through the Quantum Mirror and have been given permission to remain in this universe, because the Jaffa in their universe has destroyed their mirror. Dr. Carter has had her revealing conversation with Colonel O'Neill, who now knows they were married in her universe. She has experienced her first cascade tremor, and the team has tried to figure out how to cure the entropic cascade failure. They cannot return to their own universe.

A/N, Part 2: I have completely futzed with the timeline. This is canon up to PoV, but don't expect it to stay to canon after Dr. Carter and Kowalsky come through the Quantum Mirror, because you will only be disappointed.

Attention! This is a SJ centric story - if that doesn't interest you, please move along. For those who realize they are meant to be - enjoy!

Chapter 1 – Losing Samantha

July 30, 1999

Infirmary

Stargate Command

Cheyenne Mountain Complex

Outside Colorado Springs, CO, USA, Earth

Major Sam Carter looked at a mirror image of herself, in the infirmary of the SGC and cringed. She was witnessing her double battle what they had come to realize is a result of entropic cascade failure. She couldn't imagine the feeling of what the event meant to Doctor Carter. It looked like the blonde doctor's face was trying to disconnect itself from her body, in every direction possible, all at the same time. Doctor Carter's face strained from her body as she struggled to hang onto the infirmary bed.

Dr. Samantha Carter looked across the room, her face continuing to contort with pain. Major Carter followed her gaze, and realized the focus of the doctor's view is none other than her commanding officer. A pang of jealousy that she doesn't quite understand courses through Sam's body. Earlier, she had told the young doctor she couldn't imagine not choosing the military path, but seeing the look on her face as she gazed, unabashedly at the gorgeous colonel, she started to wonder.

"Hey! Carter! How do we fix this?" O'Neill demanded, his voice teetering between unflinching faith in his second command and the fear of watching her... Er, the other her... have to go through another apparently gut wrenching tremor.

"Honestly, sir, I don't know. All I know is the entropic cascade failure Doctor Carter is experiencing is the result of her being in a universe that has a native Samantha Carter. This would be cured if we could just get her back to her universe. However, Major Kowalsky's minor injury on his shoulder from a staff blast was the direct result of a Jaffa in their universe destroying their mirror, so we can't send them back there. The entropic cascade failure will continue..."

"Ack! Carter! Are you telling me there's absolutely NO way to fix this?" Jack refused to believe he'd have to watch a version of his second in command die from these horrific tremors.

"Well, sir, I don't see how to fix this. Doctor Carter and I have run through every theory we know of surrounding the Multiverse Theory. There is absolutely no way to avoid the entropic cascade failure when there are two versions of a single being present. We know the universe where Daniel visited through the quantum mirror we found on P3R-233, their Doctor Carter died, but Earth had been taken over by the Goa'uld, so we can't send her there, either..."

"CARTER!"

Sam hung her head, closed her eyes, and pursed her lips.

"No, sir, there's no reasonable way to fix this in the time Doctor Carter has left. I'm sorry," Sam wasn't used to not being able to pull an answer out of nowhere, just in the nick of time.

Just as Major Carter was apologizing to the room, rather than any particular person occupying the base infirmary, Doctor Carter seized into another tremor. Both Air Force officers raced to the gurney to try and do anything in their power to help the doctor though the painful event. Samantha's disconnected faces seemed to reach for Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill.

Doctor Janet Frasier rounded the corner by her office, and raced over to see if anything had changed on Samantha's vitals.

"Colonel, her blood pressure is rising. She's becoming hypertensive. I don't understand the science behind the entropic cascade failure, but the medicine is out of my hands. I'm sorry, sir, there's nothing I can do." Janet hated days like these.

"Doc, I told her she wasn't going to die." Jack grimaced then; watching the blonde continue to tremor was making him lose his cool.

"At. Least. I. Got. To. See. You..." Doctor Carter was cut off as she began to seize and the disconnected faces seemed to merge into one and the doctor's body followed as her corporeal body stilled. The alarm on the monitor that followed told the story everyone feared.

The ghostlike figure of Doctor Samantha Carter seemed confused for more than a few seconds. She was scared, and then, noticing the others in the room, a deep calm came over her. As she looked resigned and gazed towards the heavens, her transparent form seemed to vacuum towards the living form of Major Carter.

Before she knew it, Major Carter was hit with a force she had never experienced before. She instantly fell to the ground, and lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - What the?

It had all happened in less than ten seconds. Both Frasier and O'Neill stood agape, looking at the now still form of Major Carter.

Simultaneously, O'Neill fell to the ground to try to revive Major Carter while Janet attended to Doctor Carter.

"Major! Wake up! Major Carter! That's an order!" Jack's attempts to revive her failing, he pressed two fingers to her neck to check for signs of life. Though it was faint, Sam's pulse caused O'Neill to breathe an audible sigh of relief. It was bad enough to lose one of her; he couldn't have lived if he lost them both.

The petite doctor whispered to the now silent room, "She's gone, Colonel. I'm so sorry."

Janet pulled the sheet to cover the face of her deceased patient, stifling a sob. She had just lost her best friend, even if Samantha wasn't her best friend. With all the compartmentalizing she had learned through her years as a practicing medical professional, and a deep breath, she instructed Colonel O'Neill to move Major Carter to the nearest empty bed.

He leaned down, and swiftly, but gently, picked up the brilliant scientist. As he laid her on the bed, Janet was waiting with new leads to hook the Major up to several machines.

"What the hell happened, Doc? Is she okay?" Jack's control was slipping.

"Well, sir, I'm not sure what exactly happened. Her pulse is thready, but there. She's breathing, and her heart is racing. She's going into shock." Janet was just as worried about the major as her commanding officer was, although, from the look in his eyes, she thought perhaps she cared for her friend in a slightly different way. As she began to order the tests, she could only hope this wouldn't bring even more trouble for her dear friend.

Janet looked down at her patient, her professional demeanor completely belying the turmoil churning in her abdomen. Taking in the clammy pallor, the racing heartbeat and low blood pressure, her medical training kicked into high gear.

"She's going into psychogenic shock, Sir!" Janet managed to explain while she placed several pillows under Major Carter's legs.

Jack stood back to allow the doctor and her nurses to work, and gnawed on his lower lip. He couldn't believe the events that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours. Just one short day ago, all he was worried about, other than the usual snakes in the universe type stuff, was whether or not he had remembered to record The Simpsons. In the day that followed, however, his entire world had been flipped upside down. His mind reeled with the memories, the first being that just over a year ago, Daniel had informed him that his double, apparently from an alternate alternate reality, was engaged to the delectable Doctor Samantha Carter. He had barely allowed himself to fantasize about what that would be like. He dreamed, several times, about the glimmer of a chance of attracting the young blonde. But then, he'd awaken, and realize that in the world in which he lived, he and Carter could only exist in a dream.

Then, out of nowhere, another Carter duplicate had arrived in his life. And again, this Carter was a civilian. And again, she was romantically involved with her version of him. Samantha, a name he never allowed himself to use when thinking of his second-in-command, had told him the story of the end of her world. Her bright blue eyes shone with tears waiting to fall. It nearly broke him when those tears fell upon the sharing of the memory of losing him. In an act he had often dreamed about under different circumstances, he pulled the grieving woman into his arms and let her just cry herself to sleep. Of course, in his dreams, the woman in question was neither crying, nor grieving over the loss of her husband.

Now, as he watched the medical team treat the object of his dreams, he felt an emotion wash over him that he hadn't really allowed himself to feel since he heard the gunshot that signaled the worst day of his life - the day Charlie had died. He even had to stop and find the name for this emotion. It wasn't exactly fear, he had felt that several times battling bad guys throughout the universe over the last few years. No, this went deeper than fear. This was terror. After learning that both of his alternate selves were romantically tied to the woman he most admired, he was simply terrified.

Carter's eyes drifted open, and fluttered closed.

"Doc! Is she waking up?" Jack got Janet's attention at the minor movement

Janet moved over to the side of the bed, and pulled out her infernal pen light to start examining the major's eyes.

"Altered levels of consciousness are common with psychogenic shock, Sir. Right now, I need to try to regulate her temperature and heart rate. The pillows under her legs should help immeasurably. Mostly, I need her to just remain calm." Janet looked over at the colonel, taking in his demeanor. "You need to let me do my job, Sir. Why don't you go get something to eat, the last twenty-four hours hasn't done you any good, either."

"No, thanks. I'm fine here." His eyes never left Carter.

"Sir, that wasn't a suggestion or a request. It's an order. I need room to take care of Major Carter, and you standing around, making my staff nervous is not going to help matters any."

Jack, stubbornly standing his ground, his gaze unwavering, remembered why he had nicknamed her a napoleonic powermonger. His eyes flicked down to her, realizing she was standing directly in front of him, her stature not nearly enough to block the line of sight between him and the hospital bed.

Her eyes bore into his.

"We are doing absolutely everything we can. I will not let her go, but you - you need to leave."

"Keep me apprised."

Jack trudged out of the infirmary. He didn't get far, though. With the windowed door in his sight, he leaned against the hard concrete pillar in the grey hall of the SGC. His eyes began to sting. He had seen the ghost like form of the late Doctor Carter enter the living form of Major Carter. He knew this wasn't some run of the mill form of shock, and he knew Doctor Frasier was flying by the seat of her pants. Hell, no one on Earth had any experience with this. A single terrified tear escaped and burned hotly down his cheek.

"Jack! What happened? Where's Sam?" Daniel threw the barrage of questions just as Jack wiped the tear off his chin. While Daniel was trying to get answers, and didn't even notice the tear, their stoic Jaffa friend took in every detail.

"Mini-Napoleon threw me out." Jack stuffed his fists into the pockets of his fatigues.

"Why? Jack? What's going on?" Daniel just started to pick up on Jack's posture.

With a dejected sigh, Jack filled his two teammates in on the death of Doctor Carter and what had transpired after she had died. He tried it keep his usual military demeanor when delivering the news, and failed miserably. Daniel's brain started to work in over drive, but seeing that Jack was barely holding it together, he said nothing. In their time battling the Goa'uld, Daniel had picked up on more than one occasion when his friends had not quite expressed an above and beyond attachment for each other, which told him volumes more than had either of them come out an admitted anything.

Knowing Janet wouldn't appreciate them barging in, Daniel and Teal'c took up positions on either side of Jack and the three stood vigil while they waited for an update on Carter's condition.

It could have been three hours that the members of SG-1 stood anxiously outside of the base infirmary, but in reality it was only about twenty minutes before Janet emerged, bad news written all over her face.

Jack's head snapped up, caught her expression, and felt his entire world collapse. In a very un-Jack-like voice, filled with broken promises, he bit at Janet, "You said you wouldn't let her go."

"Sir, I haven't. She's still here..."

Jack let go of a breath he didn't realize he had been holding since his scathing comment.

"But..." Janet closed her eyes so she didn't have to look into the pained expressions of her patient's three closest friends. "But... She just slipped into a coma."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - A Whole New Meaning to Talking to Yourself

Major Samantha Carter had always been at the head of her class. There was nothing she couldn't figure out, if she put her mind to it. The United States Air Force had deemed her one of the "best and brightest," and her opinion carried a lot of weight with the highest levels of government. Heck, even alien governments realized just how brilliant she was. She had built a dialing computer for a device that the ancient peoples of the universe had built, people who were far beyond the technologically advanced of their new allies. She was a genius. However, for the life of her, she couldn't fathom what was going on inside her body.

The last thing she could coherently remember was being in the infirmary with Colonel O'Neill and Janet, watching Doctor Carter experience a hellacious tremor. She couldn't begin to imagine what that felt like. Hopefully, nothing like the way her head currently felt. Man, when did it get so crowded in here?

"Not enough room to move around in here, is there?" A voice, her voice, sounded in her head. But Carter knew she hadn't thought that thought.

_Holy Hannah! _Carter thought.

"You can say that again!"

_Wait, you can hear my thoughts?_

"And you can hear mine, I'm not speaking out loud. I don't think I have a mouth. Or vocal chords. Damn, or a body."

_What the hell? You're in my brain?_

"Well, more accurately, I think my soul is inhabiting your body. It must be a side effect of..."

_Entropic cascade failure. _Carter finished the thought. _This must be what happens when two identical beings inhabit the same reality. I mean, up until this point, alternate realities have just been theoretical, so there hasn't been much research done._

"Apparently, this is what happens. So this reality couldn't maintain two corporeal bodies that belong to the same being. And of course, it was your body that the reality decided to maintain. As if I didn't have inadequacy issues to begin with."

Carter was taken aback by the last comment.

_What? Of course, it's MY body that belongs in this reality, Doctor._

"Well, at least you don't get everything you want."

The doctor's attitude was really starting to grate on her nerves.

_What the hell does that mean?_

"Oh, c'mon! I'm in your brain, remember? Guess you're not one hundred percent happy with the differences of you going military versus my staying civilian, are you?" Carter swore she heard the other woman chuckle coldly.

_What does that mean? We've staved off the Goa'uld attack on Earth, I've helped to save countless other planets, I've got the best job in the world!_

"That may be. But I got him."

Carter didn't have a response for that. She turned her thoughts inward. For the last couple of years, she really did have a great life. She enjoyed the adventures she found herself on, even got off on the high that constant peril afforded. Rarely, though, she found herself day dreaming about a certain chocolate eyed colonel.

"Rarely, my ass!"

_Jesus! I was just thinking that, can't I have any privacy in my own head?_

"Not when they're thoughts I've often had, granted I didn't lie to myself about how often those thoughts arose!"

_What do you know of having thoughts like that? You know nothing of my feelings for Ja-Colonel O'Neill?_

"God, at least I've been able to call him Jack since I first met him! Although, for the last year, I've called him _husband_, so yeah, I think I know a thing or two about your feelings for Jack!"

_Husband? What? You were married? To Colonel O'Neill? _Carter's mind reeled. This means, that two for two, both alternate realities they had encountered, her alternates were living her dreams. Well, except for the Air Force part of her dream.

"That's right, Major. You got the planes and the guns, we got the guy! Unfortunately, according to your Doctor Jackson, we both also lost the guy."

_God, doctor, I'm sorry. I didn't mean... It's just that... I haven't told anyone about my feelings for him. At first, I thought it was just a hero-worship type crush for the guy, I mean, have you seen him? Plus, he's black ops, funny as hell, and he went on the first Abydos mission. He hides it, but he's as smart as a whip. Oh, please don't tell him I used a cliche, you know how he feels about those. And those eyes! A long time ago, we were infected with a virus that, I guess, allowed us to witness the Broca Divide first hand, and I was drawn to the alpha male within him. I kissed him, and even though I told him I didn't remember, I do. That was the very best kiss of my entire life, limited though my experience is. I can't imagine finally being able to act on any one of the thousand things I feel for the damned man, and then have to watch him die. I'm so very sorry._

Carter could swear she could hear the doctor sniffle.

_Can we just call a truce on the whole 'who's decisions make for a better outcome' thing? It certainly seems like we're stuck together for a while, so..._

"Yeah. It does. Have you tried waking up?"

_You mean I'm not awake now? How could I not know that?_

"You're not awake, no. I can't hear anything going on around us...er, you... I don't hear any ambient sounds, no voices, not even the air being circulated in the SGC."

Trying to hear anything but the inner voice of her alternate, Carter realized she was right. She couldn't hear anything. She tried lifting an arm, wiggling her toes, even blinking her eyes. It seemed nothing was working the way she wanted.

_Holy shit! What the hell is going on?_

"Don't panic. You know Janet is doing everything she can. We were in the infirmary when I...um, when my body died. Remember?"

_Oh, yeah. Then you, the you that was trying to get to me during the cascade tremors, it entered me. I don't remember anything after that._

"Right, so Janet was right there, and so was Jack. You know both of them are going to do absolutely everything within their power to help us out. But they probably don't know there is an us, just you, but they'll be working just as hard. Actually, if your Janet is anything like mine, she probably kicked Jack out so she could work."

_What was he like? Your Colonel? I'm sorry, your Jack?_

"Jack? He was a lot like yours, I guess. He has a thing for The Simpsons, loves it when I wear anything peridot, and made sure our DVD collection included every Mary Steenburgen movie ever made. But the best thing about him was they way he could make me feel with just a look from those, how did you say it? Chocolate eyes? I always considered them more of a mocha colored, but I think your description fits better."

_How did you meet, if not the military?_

"I'm not military, but I still worked on the Stargate Project from its inception. Or, rather its reinception. Catherine Langford had been following my research since I was an undergrad, and approached me when I was working on my doctoral thesis. She told me about this amazing project, and I kind of blew her off. I had my heart set on NASA."

_So did I._

Doctor Carter continued, as though she hadn't heard the comment.

"You know, I hated him the first time we met, he had this thing against scientists, and I had a thing against the military. Dad and Mark both were married to the Air Force, and I didn't want that life anymore. Don't get me wrong, I do have eyes, and I immediately recognized how sexy Jack was. But I had spent so much of my life proving I was a legitimate scientist, and not just a pretty young blonde, and I didn't want to have to start out again at ground zero, much less do anything the military way. But, as I was used to, I set out to prove I was more than capable to do whatever I set my mind to, better even than the Air Force scientist, McKay. After a while, a very long while, Jack and I settled into a companionable co-worker relationship.

"Then, one day, everything clicked for me, and I got the Stargate to connect an active wormhole to Abydos. Of course, it would still be a while before we sent a team through. Catherine's father had connected, inexplicably, to a gate in 1945, but they lost a man during that expedition. However, after so many years of trying to get it to work, we decided to celebrate.

"It started out just Catherine and I, but it kind of grew from there. Before we knew it, the entire base was invited and it became a huge celebration. I may have had a little bit too much champagne. Jack loves to tell the story about how I came onto him after too much bubbly. Although, the liquid courage ran both ways. He'd had enough to drink, and maybe I was flirty enough that he asked me out."

Carter had become so entranced, she thought she was stuck in one if her dreams. This one reminded her of the time she and Colonel O'Neill were in Washington, D.C. to receive air medals. She remembered a very vivid dream that followed the almost ceremony, in which they'd both had a bit to drink and had had a very open conversation that led to actions that could have had them both dealing with court martial. She suddenly realized the narrator of this particular fantasy had stopped.

_Well? What happened on the date?_

"What? You only asked how we met. Anyway, I'm a bit tired."

Carter could feel the emotional drain that that little memory had taken on her counterpart. She felt bad for the doctor. She could feel the pressure in her head decrease slightly, and thought that Doctor Carter had fallen asleep. Finally alone with her thoughts, Carter reflected on her current situation.

_Ok, so there's another what, soul in my body? This can't be good. Holy Hannah, that's stating the obvious! I need to let Janet work, I suppose. Maybe rest isn't such a bad idea, the pressure in here is finally down enough to sleep._

Just as that thought hit her, she saw chocolate eyes looking down at her, encased in deep worry lines.

"Jack?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Meanwhile

Janet allowed the male members of SG-1 into Major Carter's room, hoping they would be able to talk to her, which just might pull her out of the coma. Janet's frustration had reached new bounds. She had no idea what to try next. This type of shock should be fairly easy to treat, especially in comparison to all the injuries and illnesses she'd had to treat since being transferred to Cheyenne Mountain. Having already lost one of the Samantha Carters that day, and knowing next to nothing about entropic cascade failure, her ability to hope for the best was slowly slipping away.

As the team entered the room, Janet reached over and tucked a lock of blonde hair behind the major's ear. Almost silently, she whispered a plea to whatever higher power might be watching to help her friend wake up.

Turning to the team, she pleaded with them as well.

"Talk to her. There's a school of thought that believes she can still hear you, and maybe it'll be enough to bring her back to us." Janet excused herself from the room before her tears began to fall.

The three large men took various stations around the bed, Daniel and Teal'c silently allowing Jack to take the chair at her bedside. Teal'c stood at the foot of her bed, hands clasped behind his back, while Daniel stood opposite of Jack and gently clasped Carter's hand.

Jack gazed briefly at her other hand, wishing he could also touch the comatose patient, but settled for laying his hand next to hers, almost - but not quite - getting the touch he so craved. He hated the powerless feeling that creeped up his spine. Normally, he would turn to Carter with a smart ass comment, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would fix whatever had them in trouble. This time, however, he was at a loss.

"We're married, you know."

Daniel's eyes shot up, knowing Jack had surely lost his marbles.

"Jack? What?"

"Oh, for crying out loud, Daniel! The other Carter and me. Well, you know, the other me. The alternate one."

Daniel, picking up on the lack of smart ass comments in the face of certain defeat and the dejected manner coiling off of Jack, decided to break the tension.

"So, in every alternate reality we've encountered, you - or rather your other self - has gotten the girl, and you're still on a last name basis with her? Hmmm... That's gotta sting a bit!"

Jack turned to Daniel, ready to hit the young archeologist with every ounce of strength he possessed. The only thing that prevented him from doing so was the fact that, lying between them, was the unconscious fourth member of their team.

"DanielJackson, I believe it would be wise to refrain from resembling a donkey at this time."

"Being a jackass, Teal'c. And yes, he'd better not continue being one. But - I know why you did it, Danny Boy. Thanks, but next time - I still might kick your ass."

"Ok, but seriously. In both universes, other than our own, that we've encountered, the two of you have been, well, the two of you. Teal'c and I probably know you guys better than anyone else, and throughout time, throughout every culture in history, there are stories..."

"DANIEL! What the hell are you talking about?!" Daniel's prattling on about all of this was starting to remind him of Carter's technobabble, and it was hitting him a little too close at just this moment.

"I'm just saying that every culture, from the dawn of recorded history, has the concept of soul mates - two halves of a whole."

"You know it's against regulations, Daniel. Drop it."

"But, Jack..."

"I. Said. Drop. It." Jack turned his attention back to Carter, hoping he'd see her eyes flutter, a twitch on her face to prove she was only dreaming... Something, anything. If only she'd wake up, then maybe - someday - he'd let Daniel finish that impossible train of thought.

All of a sudden, they heard raised voices in the hall right outside the private room Janet had moved Carter to, just after the latter had slipped into her coma.

Jack, feeling half reluctant to leave, half protective of a quiet environment for Carter, ordered Daniel to stay with Carter, and motioned for Teal'c to follow him. They stepped out into the hall to see Major Kowalsky demanding to see Doctor Carter.

Just as Janet was about to lead Kowalsky into her office to explain recent events, Jack intervened.

"Stand down, _major_! You do _not_ come into this infirmary with that attitude!"

Janet's phone rang just then, and after answering it, Janet informed the rest of them that General Hammond had requested they all join him in the briefing room.

"Doc, leave Daniel where he is for now, she shouldn't be alone." Jack glanced back at the closed door to her room. He hated the thought of going into a briefing without her. Janet silently nodded.

The four quickly made their way to join General Hammond, Kowalsky was still glowering. He had promised his Colonel O'Neill that he'd watch over his wife, and did not appreciate being kept in the dark about her condition.

The air in the briefing room seemed thin, and yet it was heavy with the coming subject of their conference.

"Major Kowalsky, I regret to inform you that Doctor Samantha Carter has passed away." General Hammond opened. "Doctor Frasier has been working on keeping Major Carter alive, but from what she tells me, she's at a bit of a loss. Doctor?"

"What the hell? Why am I just hearing about this now?" Kowalsky had skipped from worried to angry in the space of just a few seconds.

"Hey - Charlie, how about you listen to what's been going on while you've been chatting up the boys in the commissary, huh?" Jack wanted to get on with the meeting and see if there was a way to save the lady currently occupying his thoughts.

Major Kowalsky leaned back in his chair, still obviously pissed, but knowing better than to disobey an order from a commanding officer in front of the base commander - even if this wasn't his reality or technically his chain of command.

Finally allowed to start her report, Janet stood and took a fortifying breath. The patient she was reporting on was deeply important to each and every man in the room, and she didn't want any of them to lose whatever hope they were struggling to retain.

"As you now all know, Doctor Carter passed away about two hours ago. I believe it is the result of entropic cascade failure, though what happened immediately following her death, is greatly beyond my expertise. Colonel O'Neill and I witnessed what, I guess in layman's terms, could be called a spirit or ghost-like being rise out of the physical form of Doctor Carter. Within moments, the being seemed to be sucked into the living form of Major Carter."

Jack started playing with the pen sitting in front of him. He was loathe to relive the worst two hours of his life since just before his first trip to Abydos. As Janet recounted all the medicine of the situation, he allowed his mind to wander a bit.

_He waved goodbye to the perfect replica, hair not withstanding, of his second in command just as Daniel disconnected the mirror. He turned, expecting to find the shorter haired version standing next to him, but instead he saw her round the corner of the halls, presumably heading for her lab._

_"She saw you kiss Doctor Carter." Daniel's voice, very quietly, let him know why she hadn't stuck around._

"_Ah." Jack was confused, yet oddly hopeful. "Well, I guess I'd better...um, sort this out. I'll catch up with you later."_

_As Jack calmly followed Carter, Daniel and Teal'c shared a knowing look._

_Carter stood with her back to the door, so she didn't hear Jack enter her chaotically organized lab. He could have sworn he saw her shoulders shake. Not wanting to startle her, he discreetly cleared his throat. When she turned, he could see she had been crying._

_"So, ummm... Daniel said you were watching, and umm..."_

_"Yes, Sir. I saw you kiss her, um, me...um, Doctor Carter."_

_"You get that I was just trying to help her say goodbye, right?"_

_Carter wiped the back of her hand against the tears that were still working their way down her cheeks. Jack was slightly confused. He could understand if she was angry, seeing him kiss her alternate and knowing that he might harbor the same attraction for her. It was unacceptable within their chain of command. He could even understand if she was worried that he might expect the same thing from her within this reality. However, he knew tears. These tears were not those of anger or anxiety. These were tears of pain._

_"Sir? Is it possible to be jealous of yourself!"_

_Jack couldn't believe his ears. Wait. She was jealous of the kiss?_

_"Carter?"_

_"Huh. Carter. That's all you see me as, isn't it? Just your second-in-command? Good Soldier Carter." Her eyes filled with tears anew, that threatened to fall with every breath._

_Jesus! This conversation was bordering on wildly inappropriate, but for the life of him, he wasn't about to walk away._

_"Samantha..."_

_"Sam, please. _She_ is Samantha." The way she said 'she' was oddly reminiscent of how Doctor Carter had sneered 'her' when they had the conversation that revealed Doctor Carter had been married to his alternate self. _

_"Ok. Sam. Oh, Sam... I kissed her to help her realize I am not her husband. I wanted to help give her closure."_

_Sam nodded silently._

_"I did not feel anything in that kiss. It was a rare moment of compassion for another human being, that's all."_

_Sam's eyes lost all control they'd been struggling to maintain. Tears poured out of her eyes, all restraint was lost._

_"Hey. Hey, look at me." Jack closed the distance between them, reached out to gently lift up her chin so he could look into those deep blue eyes he had grown to adore._

_"I didn't feel anything, because even though you two looked damn near identical - really just your hair was different - I knew, I know, I feel - _she isn't you._ There's no way she could even compare."_

_And with that last word, Jack dipped his head as his lips caught hers. Tenderly, he moved his arms around her waist, urging her arms around his shoulders. Feeling her initial shock subside, he tentatively deepened the contact. She let out a barely audible sigh, and he took full advantage to slip his tongue into her mouth, and began to caress her tongue with his own. He tightened his hold of her as she snaked one arm up to give her hand access to his slightly silvering hair. Just as she ran her fingernails through, barely scratching his scalp, he felt himself fully respond to her touch._

"Jack? What do you think?"

Daniel's voice snapped him out of his very pleasant daydream, and the reality of the situation came crashing around him as he took in his surroundings.

"Daniel? When did you get here? You didn't leave Carter alone, did you? Who's with her?"

"It's alright, Colonel O'Neill. Teal'c is with her now. He thought some of Daniel's expertise might be more helpful than any insight he could provide. Daniel got here about five minutes ago." Janet softly filled the colonel in on what had been going on. The more she saw Jack withdraw into himself, the more worried she became. Not just because he could be putting his own health in jeopardy, but also because of what this type of behavior could potentially mean for two of her favorite SGC officers.

Jack looked around to see what else had changed while he wasn't paying attention.

"Where'd Kowalsky go?"

"Major Kowalsky has gone to join SG-6 to see if they can contact Jacob and the Tok'ra. We're going to try contacting our more advanced allies and see if they can offer any assistance. Colonel O'Neill, are you alright?" General Hammond knew his flagship team had formed stronger bonds than any of the others, but he had never seen his second-in-command quite _this_ out of sorts. He had only ever seen Jack O'Neill like this once before, and that was just after his son died. He knew better than to suspect his officers were doing anything inappropriate, but a bit of him wondered just how deep these bonds went.

"I'm fine, General," Jack responded and immediately turned to Daniel. "So, what have you got? Anything enlightening?"

Daniel, knowing most of their hopes now lived within any research he could draw on, turned his attention from Jack to the room at large.

"There are some ancient myths that tell of twins inhabiting the same body, that both souls were alive, but apparently not for long. They call it _anamacha candam,_ which loosely translated, it means quantum souls. From what I can surmise from the literature available on the subject, when this happens, as one twin dies, his or her soul, instead of moving onto the afterlife, actually stays alive within the living twin. The living twin then houses both souls, but is doomed to live a shorter life, like the time left for the living twin is shortened to half of what it was destined to be."

"Like Hell, Daniel! Carter is not going to die." Jack refused to acknowledge the possibility.

"Doctor Jackson and I believe this is what has happened to Major Carter and Doctor Carter, Colonel O'Neill. This is why we're seeking out our allies. This is way beyond my medical knowledge here on Earth." Janet did her best to try to explain.

"Well, let's get on with it! We've saved how many worlds? There's gotta be a marker somewhere we can call in!" Jack was getting desperate.

"Colonel O'Neill, I am placing SG-1 on downtime - no, hear me out, son - until we can find a way to help Major Carter. That is your number one priority, I have removed you from all other ongoing missions. Doctor, Colonel, keep me apprised. Everyone, dismissed."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Waking Up

_This is my number one priority. Gee, General, thanks, I hadn't even thought of that. _Jack knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was his number one priority, whether the Air Force supported him or not. All he could think about since he saw her crumple to the infirmary floor was the fact that he refused to quit until he got her back. He had convinced himself that it was a commander's concern for his subordinate - hell, he'd do the same for Daniel or Teal'c, right?

Jack found himself back in the infirmary, confident that Daniel could handle contacting the Tok'ra, the Tollan, the Asgard, and any others he could think of to help. He walked into Carter's room to find Teal'c standing at her bedside.

"There has been no change, O'Neill."

"I'll take over here, T. You head up to the gate room and see if you can help Daniel with contacting any of our so-called allies. Be sure you impress upon them just how important this is, huh?"

"I do not know how much more I can help with them, O'Neill. DanielJackson is very apt in handling diplomatic relations."

"Yeah, he's good at the talking stuff. You just do your thing, you know. Stand there, look intimidating." Jack knew the presence of the large Jaffa could do wonders.

Teal'c just looked at him, and raised his eyebrow.

"Yup, T. Just do that. Believe me, it'll help."

As Teal'c slightly bowed his head, turned and left the room, Jack wandered over to the still form of Major Carter. He thanked the powers that be that the machines continued their steady beeps that confirmed she was still in there somewhere. She was so pale, so still, and she looked much more vulnerable than he had ever remembered seeing her. He would give his right arm to see those shining blue eyes and perfect white smile, so alive that it made his blood burn.

Knowing he was alone in the room, and briefly ignoring the fact there were cameras watching their every move, Jack sat down on the chair by the head of her bed and gently reached over and clasped her hand.

"Sam, you can't give up. I know Doctor Carter is in there with you, but you have to fight this. We're doing everything we can on this side, but you have to fight, too. Sam, please. Please, just wake up."

Jack heard the telltale clicking of Janet's heels on the concrete floor, and he regretfully let go of the tiny hand and resumed a more appropriate distance from the patient.

Janet entered, seeing the distance he had put between himself and Major Carter.

"Sir, it's okay. I believe human contact may help her. You just never know." Janet, though she was aware of the career ending possibilities that could stem from her words, decided to put the health of her patient first. She had taken an oath saying, 'first, do no harm.' While it may harm their careers, she knew neither's career would benefit if the woman in question were to die. She knew that something was going to happen as a result of this incident, but all she could do at this point was ensure her friends were there to handle the fallout, and hope for the best.

"What? I wasn't..." But Jack knew better than to lie to the tiny doctor. "Doc, we can't just let her go."

Jack turned his gaze back to Carter, searching for something, anything, while he let Janet check the monitors. He was still hesitant to take her hand again, knowing it could land them all in some very serious hot water.

After a minute that felt like a year, Jack felt his whole body fill with sunshine as Carter's blue eyes opened, and looked directly into his.

"Jack?"

Janet rounded the bed and pulled out her trusty penlight. Jack was struck speechless.

"Sam? How are you feeling?" Janet was so relieved.

"Head hurts. Thirsty."

Jack immediately grabbed the cup of water with a straw from the nightstand and lifted it to her lips. She sipped thirstily, then winced at the pain lifting her head had caused.

"Take it easy, Sam. You've had quite a busy morning."

Sam nodded her head and closed her eyes, her head falling so her cheek landed on the pillow.

"Doc? Is she?" Jack was terrified again, that she had come out if her coma, just to slip back into it.

"She's fine, Colonel," Janet said after checking the monitors again. "She's just asleep right now, and not surprising after what she's been through today. Right now, though, I want you to go get something to eat -"

"Doc, she just woke up for two minutes and is asleep again. I think I'll stay here."

Janet lowered her eyes a bit and took a deep breath. This time when she spoke, her voice was soft and filled with concern.

"Jack, I'll stay with her until you get back, but I'm responsible for your health, too. Now, I understand you want to stay here, really, I do. But I need for you to take care of yourself. How would Sam feel if she woke up again, and you had made yourself sick? Go, get something to eat. And while you're at it, grab something for her, too. Something healthy?"

Jack scrubbed his hands over his face, knowing the doctor was right. Plus, she only used that tone with him when she was really serious. This felt more important than when she was snapping orders around.

Leaving Sam alone with Janet, Jack aimlessly wandered away from the infirmary. His mind, however, seemed to stay with the two women in the base infirmary. No way was he just going to sit back and relax; he had to do everything to help her out. He got to the elevator, and instead of hitting the button for the floor that would deliver him to the mess hall, he made a change of plans. He was Jack O'Neill, for crying out loud. He didn't do just sitting at hospital beds. He was a man of action.

As he ascended the stairs that led to the command center of the base, he was almost knocked down by Sergeant Harriman. Not that it was Walter's fault - Jack was the one not paying attention.

"Sorry, Sir."

"Think nothing of it, Sergeant." Jack had a second thought. He had implied to Doctor Frasier that he would be back soon with food for Carter. "Oh, Walter, would you mind going to get a tray for Carter? Turkey sandwich and a salad? Oh, and grab a dish of blue jello, while you're at it. Make sure it gets down to the infirmary ASAP."

"Major Carter is awake? That's great news, Sir!" The worried look that was common around the base today eased from the sergeant's features.

"Well, not exactly. But right now she's just sleeping. Ol Doc Frasier wants her to have food ready for when she wakes up, though. See to it, will ya?"

Seeing the enlisted man give a brief nod, Jack continued on to the command center.

"Colonel O'Neill, how is Major Carter doing?" General Hammond was supervising all allied contact currently being attempted by Daniel and Teal'c.

Jack filled them in on Carter's change in status, then raised is eyebrows and tilted his head towards Daniel. His unsaid question about the progress here was immediately understood by the archeologist.

"Just finished speaking with the Tok'ra. They're getting a message to Jacob right now."

"What about the Tollan? The Asgard?" Jack, although he admired Jacob Carter, had very little faith in the Tok'ra as a species. He still wasn't quite sure exactly what differentiated them from the average, run-of-the-mill snake-in-the-head Goa'uld.

"Narim just got back to us, and unfortunately, this type of medical issue is beyond their knowledge. They've never heard of such a phenomenon, and once we've ensured Sam will survive, he said he'd like to talk to her about the experience." Daniel's frustration was evident in the tone with which he forced out the last part of the message.

"Oh, I just bet he would! What about the Nox? Does Lya have any bright ideas?" Jack hated the interest the Tollan, Narim, had in his second in command, and was even jealous that Carter had given him her cat. Pushing all thoughts of the alien who couldn't help aside, he waited to hear about the alien who had a better hope of helping.

"They haven't gotten back to us, yet. Lya said she needed to speak with her people. She, at least had heard of the legends of _anamacha candam_."

"And Thor? Did he and his little grey buddies have any bright ideas?" Of all of their alien allies, Jack put more faith in the Asgard than all of the others combined.

"Commander Thor is doing some research of his own, and will get back to us. He did seem hopeful, though." Daniel's own spirits seemed to lift with Thor's message.

"How could you tell? I swear Teal'c has a wider range of emotions than the Asgard!" He looked at the Jaffa in question. "What? You could give Zeno tips on Stoicism!"

Daniel's jaw dropped at the accurate reference to the Greek philosopher, but before he could ask him about it, the stargate activated.

Since the base's two highest ranking officers were standing behind him, the sergeant covering for Harriman just relayed the incoming IDC, rather than announcing the obvious unscheduled off world activation.

"Tok'ra IDC, Sirs."

"Open the iris!" This was the first time General Hammond breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped someone actually making the trip to Earth was a good sign.

Running through the event horizon was his longtime friend, Jacob Carter. General Hammond and the members of SG-1 launched themselves down the stairs and into the gate room.

"Jacob, I'm glad you made it. Welcome back to Earth. I wish it were under better -" General Hammond was interrupted by the newcomer.

"You can brief me on the way to the infirmary, George. I want to see my daughter." Jacob was already leaving the gate room, and didn't have time for pleasantries.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Daddy's Little Girl

Jacob Carter was on a single minded mission to find his daughter at the SGC infirmary. The message he received was vague at best - _daughter in coma_. He'd spent only about a year living among the Tok'ra, and still couldn't fathom their absolute need for secrecy, even within their own ranks. Knowing he would get minimal information if he returned to the Tok'ra base, the General Carter within him decided to take action and head immediately for the Tauri base - no passing go, no collecting two hundred dollars, just straight to get to the root of the issue. He even left the scout ship he was flying behind with another member of the Tok'ra, with orders to get it back to base immediately, and he jumped the nearest stargate to get back to his daughter.

Now, he was half listening to Daniel as they raced through the halls of the SGC. Daniel was currently explaining about the twin souls within one body legend. Jacob hadn't heard of this before, but his symbiote, Selmac, had very old memories of stories when she was with her first host, about 200 years ago.

"My first host, Kennocha, had told me a story like this one when we were blended. I had no impression from her that such a thing could actually happen, though. The story she told did not end well, both of the souls were lost." The Tok'ra did not want Jacob to experience the loss of his daughter, and was very concerned. "Unfortunately, that is all I know of the subject."

"Thanks, Selmac," Daniel let out a dejected sigh. He couldn't give up, he wouldn't. Even if Jack, for some unfathomable reason, allowed him to, Daniel refused to give up the one person in his life he thought of as a sister.

Jacob's head dipped, and when it came back up, the worried face of a father was evident. Jacob stopped in the hall and faced the men who were accompanying him to the infirmary.

"Ok, let's get something straight here. We are not losing my daughter. Failure is not an option. Period. Before I join the search for however we're going to fix this, I want to see her. I don't care if she's asleep, I need to make sure she's ok."

Jack was convinced this was the most he'd heard Jacob speak at any one time. Usually when that many words came out of Jacob's mouth, it was Selmac debriefing them on some cockamamie plan the Tok'ra cooked up. Jacob, at most, was as good for sarcastic quips as Jack was – Jacob just had more experience and knew the value of a well-timed snarky comment.

"Uh, this way, Jacob." Jack led Jacob towards the private room that currently housed Major Carter. Usually, Jack would have been playing a verbal game of hockey with Jacob Carter, but that would have to wait for better circumstances, and all that. The two had a very strong mutual respect for each other, and both realized the other was hurting.

"Jack, while you accompany Jake to see his daughter, the rest of us are going to head back and await word from the Nox and the Asgard," General Hammond ordered the others. Seeing Daniel was about to object, he cut him off at the pass. "Doctor Jackson, give the man some time alone with his daughter. This is the first time he's seen her in months, and no matter how hard we fight it, it just might be the last. No, I know we're doing everything we can - and we will continue, come hell or high water - but just in case it's not enough - he's her father. Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children. You can come down when we have some better news. I hope."

Daniel gave a brief nod of understanding and turned to follow Teal'c and the general out of the infirmary.

Jack opened the door, and held it for Jacob to pass through. Janet was sitting just on the edge of the bed, and was moving a lock of Carter's hair out of her face when she saw the two men enter.

"General, Colonel," Janet acknowledged their presence. "She's still just sleeping. Honestly, I can't find anything physically wrong with her."

"Jack, I'd like a moment alone with her, if you don't mind." Jacob looked at the sleeping form of his daughter. He hated this feeling. His Samantha was a force to be reckoned with, not a little girl sleeping in a hospital bed.

"Sure, Jacob. I'll be right outside." Jack raked his eyes over her form before he left. Jacob turned to look at Jack when he didn't hear the door close right away, and even though the colonel thought his expressions were hidden, Jacob couldn't help but see the deep, tender way the colonel viewed his daughter.

Jacob almost stopped Jack from leaving, when the voice in his head spoke up.

_Jacob, you know he is trying his hardest to be the supportive commanding officer watching out for his subordinate. You can see he's hanging on by a thread. Don't make this more difficult for him. Hopefully, when this ordeal is over, or at least when a solution is found, then you may ask him anything you want and I will not stop you. Instead, go and sit with Samantha. She__'__s the one you need to focus on right now. And let__'__s face it. You know I__'__m right._

Realizing the old gal _was _right, Jacob let the door close behind Jack and turned to take in the sight that was his daughter. Things had been rough between them after her mother died, but their relationship had greatly improved since his blending with Selmac. He finally felt like he had a good relationship with his adult daughter; he was prouder of her now than he had ever been at any other point in her life. He felt a little guilty about this, but knew it was probably because he was finally able to understand her. She wasn't just his child anymore, and as much as he still felt responsible for her, he knew she had blossomed into a strong, intelligent, independent woman. If only her mother could see her now. Sam's mother was the love of his life, and Jacob had never had the heart to remarry. He'd even come to realize, through Selmac's wisdom, that that was one of the main reasons he'd been distant from his daughter following her death - Sam had reminded him too much of her.

Now, though, as he looked at her in the overly sanitary hospital room, he felt tears prick his eyes as he realized his daughter was just as vulnerable as her mother. When he'd first met Debra, he'd thought she was invincible - a thought that she'd reinforced during their marriage and the raising of two children. It all came to a screeching halt one fateful day when he'd neglected to pick her up from the airport. Mark and Sam had blamed him for her death, and put him through hell for it. That was nothing compared to what he put himself through, though.

Now that he'd finally built a close relationship with his little girl, he was unwilling to let it end prematurely. He had done that with her mother and there was no way he would let history repeat itself. He'd been unable to patch things up with his son (_yet_ Selmac interjected unto his thoughts), and Sam was all he had left in the universe.

He sat by her bed, and picked up her hand in both of his. Saying a silent prayer to any real god that may exist, definitely not one of those posing snakes, he allowed the tears that had been burning his eyes to fall.

When he'd let them all out, his hold on her hand became firmer. He took a deep breath and took in the classic beauty in Sam's features.

"Oh, baby girl. I've gotta tell you, I'm so proud of you. There isn't a man in the entire galaxy who is as proud if his daughter as I am of you. You're so like your mother. I know we haven't talked about her much, but she would have been as proud of you as I am. You are everything that was good in her, and she was all good. People have told me, ever since you joined the Air Force, that you're like me, but they're wrong. Your strength, your intelligence, your beauty, your ability to love with all that you are - that's… that's your mother. Your stubbornness - that one, that's all me. I love you, honey and I don't even want to -"

"Dad? Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?" Sam was slightly groggy, but she still picked up on Jacob's unlikely emotional speech, and felt something was very wrong.

"Sam?" Jacob whispered her name, and looked into her eyes.

"Yeah, Dad. It's me, I'm here. Actually, why am I in the infirmary?" Sam looked around. She felt perfectly fine, save for a slight headache, but she'd had much worse.

"Let me get Doctor Frasier, honey." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, letting his hand linger on her cheek. He took comfort in how warm and alive she felt. "While I do that, why don't you start on that tray of food over there?"

Sam nodded, and Jacob moved the tray closer to her, took a relieved moment to just marvel at his pretty daughter, and went to get the chief medical officer.

As she watched her father leave the room, Sam leaned back on the pillow. She wondered what had been going on while she had been asleep. She looked at the food in front of her, and picked at the sandwich, slipped a cucumber from the salad into her mouth, and pushed both away in favor of the blue Jell-O. It couldn't have been sitting there very long, because the gelatin still felt cool in her mouth as she savored the unidentifiable fruit flavor.

As she continued shoveling the sweet treat, Sam was overcome with what she could only describe as a vision. She had experienced this before, thanks to Jolinar. The Tok'ra's memories, however, were completely different from the peaceful vision that caught her totally off guard. Jolinar's memories were horrific; they were filled with war and paranoia. The current one unfolding in her mind's eye was very close to a fantasy she'd envisioned over and over again.

_The sun shone upon her face, and she turned into the warmth, closing her eyes and tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. It was longer than she usually kept it, but she was enjoying the warm wind blowing it around her head._

_Opening her eyes, she turned to look at the man currently holding her hand and laughed. It wasn__'__t the same as how someone laughed when they heard a joke. This laugh was pure joy, bubbling up within her until it had nowhere to go but out her mouth in the most melodious sound. The chocolate eyed man next to her mimicked her action, as he pulled her along into a jog. _

_Waves crashed in the distance, and Sam took in her surroundings. It was nearing sunset, and she was barefoot, running along the shore with Jack, who was also barefoot. Their fingers were entwined, Jack__'__s other fingers were laced through their four shoes. _

_Sam couldn__'__t remember feeling this elated. The started to slow, and Jack tossed their shoes into the sand, and that__'__s when Sam noticed he was also carrying a beach bag. He tossed that down, as well, before pulling her into his embrace. The kiss that followed seemed like the most natural thing in the world. His hands settled on her hips as he tenderly raked his lips across hers. He was relaxed, as he lifted a hand to caress her cheek. Sam laced her fingers behind his neck, and leaned into the kiss. The only thought in her head was that this must be exactly what heaven felt like. _

"How're you feeling, Sam?" Janet pulled her out of the vision as she crossed the room to check on her patient. Jacob and Jack stood just behind her, both wanting to be close to Sam, but neither wanting to get in Janet's way. They wore identically apprehensive expressions, and Sam almost chuckled at the sight.

"Janet, I'm fine. What is going on?" Sam still didn't understand why she was in the infirmary.

"What's the last thing you remember?" The doctor once again pulled out her pen light.

"We were in the infirmary, trying to figure out how to help Doctor Carter. Why?"

"Well, Sam," Janet filled her in on what had happened after Doctor Carter's body had died. Sam's reaction to Janet's explanation was simply disbelief. She would know if there was another soul within her body, wouldn't she? She could communicate with Jolinar while she was her host, but more than that she could sense the symbiote; they had shared emotions. Right now, though, all she felt was a mild headache.

Jack and Jacob shared a look, worried about what this might mean. Jack felt slightly uneasy at being so readable to Jacob, he'd rarely felt so exposed. His concern for Carter, the younger, though overshadowed anything he would hate to have to explain to the elder Carter. Once she was well, and she would be, he'd handle anything that came after.

"Excuse me, Sirs, do you mind waiting outside for a few minutes, I have a few personal questions for the major." Janet had noticed Sam was having a little difficulty understanding the depth of the situation.

The men, understanding the necessity of doctor/patient privacy, though neither one of them wanted to leave her side, they both left.

Once outside the door, Jacob looked at Jack. "Have you even stopped for a moment since all this started?"

"I'm just doing what I would do for any other member of my team, Jacob." Jack refused to meet his gaze.

"Cut the crap, Jack." Jacob didn't have the energy to play this game. "Remember who you're talking to here."

"Hell, Jacob. It hasn't even been that long, I'm fine. Janet's been on my ass to eat and everything."

"Yeah, and I'm sure you followed every one of her medical orders."

"Well, not exactly all of them, but you know, the ones that fit with my agenda, yeah, I followed those." Jack cleared his throat and stuffed his fists into his fatigue pants.

"You know, one of these days, you and I are going to talk, Jack. Snarky comments and Air Force regulations aside, you know she's my daughter."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Jack turned his gaze to the fascinating lack of pattern that graced the concrete walls of the hallway.

Jacob chuckled. "Yeah, right."

Back in Sam's room, Janet sat down on the bed and resumed the post she had taken while Sam was asleep. Right now she was not Janet, the doctor. She was Janet, the friend, because right now, Doctor Frasier wasn't needed in the room.

"So, Sam, how are you really doing with all of this information?"

"Janet, I just don't believe it. I mean, I would know if there was an additional soul inhabiting my body. Wouldn't I?" Sam still couldn't believe it, even with the full explanation from the doctor.

"Sam, I would completely agree with you. Except that Colonel O'Neill and I both witnessed what happened. Plus, you were in a coma with no reasonable psychical reasons for being in one. Plus…" Janet almost immediately cut herself off.

"What? Plus what?" Sam started to get worried herself as she moved into as much of a sitting position as the bed would allow. Janet, her friend, while sharing most of her secrets had been known to hold a thing or two back from time to time, but never anything truly important. Doctor Frasier, however, never held anything back from her. It was one of the main reasons they had a friendship in the first place. Sam knew she could trust Janet implicitly.

"Sam, do you really not remember waking up about an hour ago? Colonel O'Neill and myself were in the room with you."

"No, nothing. I just remember waking up to my dad seemingly not believing I would ever wake up. Why? What happened? Did she talk to you? So, she's really in there? Oh, God…" Sam drew her knees up and buried her head in her hands.

"You also said one word for the few seconds you were awake. You, ahem…ummm. You addressed Colonel O'Neill." Janet couldn't meet her eyes.

"So? I do that every day. I was in a coma – that's a reasonable reason for not remembering, isn't it? I probably saw him, and acknowledged he was there. He's always here when I wake up in the infirmary." Sam was relieved, though it was short lived.

"You didn't call him by his rank, though. You called him 'Jack'," Janet then looked in Sam's eyes and saw her surprise.

In a very unlikely action, Sam sat speechless, hands on her cheeks, and her mouth pursed.

_Oh, shit. Either Doctor Carter's really inside my body, or I just made a huge mistake. _


End file.
